The zangfu (simplified Chinese: 脏腑; traditional Chinese: 臟腑; pinyin: zàngfǔ) are a system of organ-related functional concepts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In the Suwen, the zangfu were treated as physical organs; in the 1920s, Yun Tieqiao's theory of zangxiang decoupled them from anatomical organs. In TCM, the zang organs are considered yin and the fu organs yang. Each principal zang is paired with a fu and associated with one of the five phases of wuxing. The zang are described as manufacturing and storing qi and blood, while the fu transmit and digest substances. In TCM theory, a group of "extraordinary fu" is also recognized, with functions that combine characteristics attributed to the two groups. The underlying assumptions and theories of the zangfu system have not been established by scientific evidence-based medicine.
Anatomical organ association The zangfu were originally considered to represent physical organs in Suwen. A few rare waves of human dissection throughout Chinese history have contributed some refinements to the rough anatomical assumptions in traditional Chinese medicine, though no fundamental errors were corrected (blood vessels remain mistaken as "thin meridians"). In this context, the influx of western anatomical knowledge lead to a crisis for TCM. This was resolved by Yun Tieqiao's introduction of Zangxiang (藏象/脏象) theory in the 1920s, which decoupled the zangfu from anatomical organs.
Yin/yang and the Five Elements Each zangfu organ has a yin and a yang aspect, but overall, the zang organs are considered to be yin, and the fu organs, yang. Since the concept of the zangfu was developed on the basis of wuxing philosophy, they are incorporated into a system of allocation to one of five elemental qualities (i.e., the Five goings or Five Phases). The zangfu share their respective element's allocations (e.g., diagnostics of colour, sound, odour and emotion etc.) and interact with each other cyclically in the same way the Five Elements do: each zang organ has one corresponding zang organ that it disperses, and one that it reinforces or tonifying and sedative. The correspondence between zangfu and Five Elements are stipulated as:
Fire (火) = Heart (心) and Small Intestine (小肠) (and, secondarily, Sanjiao [三焦, ‘’Triple Burner‘’] and Pericardium [心包]) Earth (土) = Spleen (脾) and Stomach (胃) Metal (金) = Lung (肺) and Large Intestine (大肠) Water (水) = Kidney (肾) and Bladder (膀胱) Wood (木) = Liver (肝) and Gallbladder (胆)
Details The zang organs' essential functions consist in manufacturing and storing qi and blood (and, in the case of the Kidney, jing or essence). The hollow fu organs' main purpose is to transmit and digest (传化, pinyin: chuánhuà) substances (like waste, food, etc.).
Zang organs Each zang has a corresponding "orifice" or sensory organ that it "opens" into. This means the functional entity of a given zang includes the corresponding orifice's functions (e.g. blurry vision is primarily seen as a dysfunction of the Liver zang because the Liver channel "opens" into the eyes). In listing the functions of the zang organs, TCM regularly uses the term "governing" (主; zhǔ) – indicating that the main responsibility of regulating something (e.g. blood, qi, water metabolism etc.) lies with a certain zang. Although the zang are primarily functional entities, TCM gives vague locations for them – namely, the general area where the anatomical organ of the same name would be found. One could argue that this (or any) positioning of the zang is irrelevant for the TCM system; there is some relevance, however, in whether a certain zang would be attributed to the upper, middle or lower jiao.
Heart
"Stores" (藏, pinyin: cáng) the shen ("mind"), paired with Small Intestine Governs xuě (blood) and its vessels/meridians Opens into the tongue Reflected in facial complexion
Pericardium
Stores the shen, paired with the San jao (Triple warmer) and Governs blood Since there are only five zang organs but six fu channels, the remaining meridian is assigned to the Pericardium. Its concept is closely related to the Heart, and its stipulated main function is to protect the Heart from attacks by excessive emotions and exterior pathogenic factors.
Spleen
"Stores" (统; tǒng) the blood inside the vessels, houses the yi (意, 'intent'), paired with Stomach Governs "transportation and transformation" (运化; yùnhuà), i.e. the extraction of jing wei (Chinese: 精微; pinyin: jīng weī; lit. 'essence bits', usually translated with food essence, sometimes also called jing qi [精气; jīng qì, essence qi]) – and water – from food and drink, and the successive distribution of it to the other zang organs. Is the source of "production and mutual transformation" (生化; shēnghuà) of qi and xue (blood) Opens into the lips (and mouth) Governs muscles and limbs
Liver
"Stores" (藏; cáng) blood, houses the hun (魂, Ethereal Soul), paired with Gall Bladder Governs "unclogging and deflation" (疏泄; shūxiè) primarily of qì. The free flow and harmony of qì in turn will ensure the free flow of emotions, blood, and water. Governs the tendons Opens into the eyes Reflected in the nails
Lung
Houses the po (魄, Corporeal Soul), paired with Large Intestine Governs the skin (closing of the pores), hair and the exterior (one part of immunity) Opens into the nose The function of the Lung is to disperse and descend qi throughout the body. It receives qi through the breath, and exhales the waste, and aids the peristaltic action of the gastrointestinal tract. A properly functioning Lung organ will ensure the skin and hair are of good quality, and that the immune system is strong and able to fight disease. The normal direction of the Lung is descending, but when Lung qi "rebels", it goes upwards, causing coughing and wheezing. When the Lung is weak, there can be skin conditions such as eczema, thin or brittle hair, and a propensity to catching colds and flu. The Lung is weakened by dryness and the emotion of grief or sadness.
Kidney
Houses the zhi (志, Will), paired with Bladder Governs birth, growth, reproduction and development Opens into the ears The Kidneys store jing Essence. They also produce the Marrow which fills the spinal cord, brain and control the bones. The Kidneys are often referred to as the "Root of Life" or the "Root of the Pre-Heaven Qi".
Fu organs
Small Intestine
Triple Burner (San Jiao)
Stomach
Gall Bladder Main page Gallbladder
Large Intestine
Bladder
Extraordinary Fu organs The Extraordinary Fu (Qi Heng Zhi Fu) are six unique organs because they resemble hollow Yang organs (Fu) but function as solid Yin organs (Zang) by storing vital essences instead of moving or excreting waste.
Brain (Nao) The Brain known in Chinese medicine as the "Sea of Marrow," it controls memory, concentration, senses, and houses the mind (Shen).
Marrow (Sui) Marrow nourishes the brain and spinal cord, forms bone marrow, and is connected to Kidney Essence.
Bones (Gu) The bones provide physical framework and structure, supported and nourished by Marrow.
Blood Vessels (Mai) The blood vessels act as the pathway for the circulation of Qi and blood.
Gallbladder (Dan) The Gall bladder functions both as an ordinary Fu organ and an Extraordinary organ. It stores pure bile instead of waste.
Uterus/Womb(Bao) Controls menstruation and fetal development, heavily influenced by Kidney Qi the Bao mai and the Penetrating and Conception vessels.
Criticism
The concept of the zangfu is not identified by evidence-based medicine – the underlying assumptions and theories have not been verified or falsified by scientific controlled experiments. The verification through trials and peer-reviewed studies for the applications of traditional Chinese medicine's mechanisms in a clinical setting are underrepresented in the West, and as a result are classified as pseudoscientific, before appropriation of the collection of current scientific enquiry and data.
See also Traditional Chinese medicine Wuxing
References
Citations
Sources
External links The Zang Fu – Information on the functions of the Zang Fu Organs. Syndrome differentiation according to zang-fu Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine – Chinese medicine diagnosis on organ diseases.